As electronic component densities increase and the components are reduced in size, interconnect structures that connect the components have failed to undergo a corresponding size reduction. In response, novel interconnect mechanisms have been developed including the use of stressed metal spring technology as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/997,931 entitled “A Latching Structure and a Method of Making an Electrical Interconnect”, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Stressed metal springs fabrication is expensive. During spring fabrication, a stressed metal is deposited over a release layer. Formation of the release layer is a complicated process that substantially increases costs. Resist layer deposition involves a photolithographic process that includes resist coating, baking, photoprinting and developing, usually under vacuum conditions. Wet etching the release layer releases stress metal deposited over the release layer. Release layer residue is then stripped and cleaned.
Although the described processing technique results in robust structures, vacuum processing techniques are expensive. The high cost makes stressed metal spring structures impractical some for low cost applications. For very low cost applications, even the several layer deposition of stressed metal may be considered expensive.
Thus, an inexpensive technique for forming a spring structure, particularly one suitable for interconnecting electronic devices is needed.